Pivotal boom assembly with latch means for securing a load supporting member to the boom



L. D. BATES Sept. 21, 1965 PIVOTAL BOOM ASSEMBLY WITH LATCH MEANS FORSECURING A LOAD SUPPORTING MEMBER TO THE BOOM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledJune 26, 1963 INVENTOR, Langdon D. Bales Sept. 21,- 1965 L. D. BATES3,207,323

PIVOTAL BOOM ASSEMBLY WITH LATCH MEANS FOR SECURING A LOAD SUPPORTINGMEMBER TO THE BOOM Filed June 26, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

75 BIT |1|| 47 i 1 ll 84 89W sly. :2

INVENTOR, 2 Langdon 0. Bates United States Patent 3,207,323 PIVOTAL BOOMASSEMBLY WITH LATCH MEANS FOR SECURING A LOAD SUPPORTING MEM- BER TO THEBOOM Langdon D. Bates, Memphis, Tenn., assignor to Memphis MachineWorks, Memphis, Tenn., a corporation of Tennessee Filed June 26, 1963,Ser. No. 290,782 9 Claims. (Cl. 212-64) This invention relates tocertain new and useful improvements in material handling devices, andparticularly relates to a material handling device which is adapted foruse in close storage spaces especially for the handling of elongatedobjects such as bombs and other similar devices.

There have heretofore been many forms of lift trucks which have includedmeans for engaging remote objects, and which have sought an answer tothe problem of moving in the narrow aisles of a warehouse for engagingwith an object closely stacked adjacent to such narrow aisle, .theremoval of the object from its stack and the subsequent carriage alongthe narrow aisle. Attempts have been made to provide lift trucks withsome sort of turntable or boom seeking to attack this very problem.These prior devices, however, have not been commercially successful, andhave proven relatively ineflicient in the accomplishment of the task towhich dedicated.

The present invention contemplates the utilization of a conventionalindustrial truck, such as a lift truck or other related type of device,including lifting means at the forward end of the truck. The presentdevice includes an elongated substantially horizontally disposed boom,which is fixed .to a shaft turna'bly mounted upon the lift means of theindustrial truck, and adapted to be turned from side to side through anoverall arc of 180 degrees for adjustment of boom position as desired.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved material handling device.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a device which isespecially adapted for use in the handling of materials in inconvenientand narrow places, such as narrow warehouse aisles and other restrictedareas.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a device which ismounted upon an industrial truck, and which includes an elongatedsubstantially horizontally extending beam which is connected with thelift means of the industrial truck for vertical movement, and which isprovided with means for swinging from side to side.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a device in whichthe boom means is provided adjacent its distal end with a turntablewhich is connected to the boom and is provided with means for effectingrotation of the turntable.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a device whichincludes a vertically reciprocaible beam having means for grasping adesired object for handling, and which couples to the turntable forrelative rotary movement to establish the desired position of the objectbeing handled relative to the remainder of the device; and

A further object of the invention is generally to improve the design,construction and efliciency of material handling devices The means bywhich the foregoing and other objects of the present invention areaccomplished and the manner of their accomplishment will be readilyunderstood from the following specification upon reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the materialhandling device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the device as seen in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on an enlarged scale as onthe line Il-I--III of FIG. 2, and with certain parts being shown inelevation.

FIG. 4 is an inverted sectional plan view with broken away 'for purposesof illustration.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken as on the line VV of FIGS. 1 and3.

FIG. 6 is an additional cross sectional view taken as on the line V-I-VIof FIG. 2.

FIG, 7 is a schematic diagram of the hydraulic system relative to thevarious instrumentalities of the device.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicatedby numerals, the material handling device of the present invention isshown as mounted in combination with a conventional industrial truck 11.Truck 1&1 is powered to move from place to place and includes aconventional source of hydraulic pressure v13.

Carried by the front end of truck -11 is an upstanding substantiallyvertical t-rackway 15 upon which is mounted for vertical reciprocation acarriage 17. Carriage 17 comprises a lowermost platform 19, uprightbracing members 21 and an upper plate 23. All of the carriage is rigidlyconnected together and conventionally mounted in the trackway forvertical reciprocation along the trackway in response to the hydraulicsystem of the industrial truck.

Turnably mounted upon carriage 11 is a shaft 25 which is seated at itslower end upon platform 19 and extends substantially vertically upwardlytherefrom. Preferably a suitable thrust bearing (not shown) is mountedupon the platform and supports the shaft lower end for turning movement.Intermediate the length of the shaft a bearing 27 is secured to upperplate 23, and shaft 25 is journaled and supported therein.

Mounted upon shaft 215 above plate 23 is a pinion 29. Pinion 29 is fixedto shaft 25 in order to elfect shaft rotation as desired. For thatpurpose a rack 31 is horiz-ontally and reciprocably mounted upon ahydraulically operated assembly 33, assembly "33 being carried by theupper plate 23 of carriage '17 and being hydraulically connected foroperation to hydraulic source 13.

Rigidly connected to the uppermost end of shaft 25 is the rear end of asubstantially elongated horizontally and forwardly projecting boom 35.Boom 35 projects substantially radially away from shaft 25 and in agenerally forwardly direction and is swingable with the shaft in orderto move the boom from side to side during operation of the device. Boom35 is preferably made up of a pair of substantially flat longitudinallyextending web members 37, 39, disposed on edge. To each of the webs 37,39, flanges 41, 43, are respectively connected and project horizontallyinwardly. The flanges are supported from such connection which isintermediate the depth of webs 37, 39, and flanges 41, 43 extendsubstantially throughout the length of the webs. At the forward end ofboom 35, boom members 37, 39 are interconnected by a transverselydisposed plate 45, which is seated upon the respective flanges 41, 43,and is rigidly secured thereto, thus interconnecting the boom memberstogether adjacent the forward ends above the level of the flanges.

The underside of the boom is interconnected by an additional plate 47which is substantially disc-like in shape preferably, and which extendsbetween the lower edges of the webs of the boom members and is rigidlysecured thereto. Thus the boom members at their outer ends are rigidlyinterconnected in order to maintain the boom in its proper operatingcondition.

Mounted on and rigidly secured to the upper surfaces of flanges 41, 43,intermediate the length of boom member 35, is a longitudinally disposedhydraulic piston and parts cylinder assembly 49 which is horizontallyreciprocable and which is connected by hydraulic lines 50, 51 tohydraulic pressure source 13. Hydraulic assembly 49 has connected to itspiston rod 53 the rearward end of a chain 55.

Chain 55 extends forwardly from the assembly 49 toward the forward endof boom 35. Adjacent its forward end chain 55 passes over and dependssubstantially vertically from a roller 57, roller 57 being rotatablysupported from a pair of upstanding brackets 59, which are rigidly fixedto and extend substantially vertically upwardly from plate 45 betweenwebs 37, 39.

Adjacent roller 57, plate 45 and flanges 41, 43 are cut out to receive avertically disposed hollow collar 61. Collar 61 is rotatably supportedin a roller bearing 63 mounted in plate 45. To the lower end of collar61 is rigidly fixed a rotatable disc 65, disc 65 being disposed belowplate 47 and being closely slidably engaged thereagainst. Disc 65includes an upstanding ring portion 67, which embraces the lower portionof collar 61 and is fixed thereto. Ring portion 67 extends upwardlythrough plate 47. A bearing 69 mounted upon the upper surface of plate47 rotatably supports disc 65. Thus collar 61 is rotatably supportedadjacent the forward end of boom 35.

Chain 55, passing over and depending from roller 57, extends downwardlythrough the hollow interior of collar 61, and at its lower end chain 55is secured to a swivel 71 which is fixed to an elongated beam 73.

A sprocket 75 is fixed to the exterior of collar 61 intermediate thedepth of the collar and between plates 45, 47, for rotation of collar61. Trained about sprocket 75 is a chain 77, which is connected at oneend to the piston rod 79 of a hydraulic assembly 81, hydraulic assembly81 being a two-way reciprocable assembly and being mounted on theunderside of boom 35. Assembly 81 is offset from the center line of theboom in order to accommodate the movements of the chain 77 with respectto sprocket 75. Hydraulic assembly 81 is connected as by lines 83, 84 tohydraulic pressure source 13 for the operation of the assembly.

Chain 77 extends rearwardly from sprocket 75 and is trained about anidler 85 which is supported from boom 35 rearwardly of the hydraulicassembly 81. The chain extends forwardly from idler 85 and is connectedas at 87 to the rear end of assembly 81. The operation of assembly 81effects shift of the chain 77 in such manner as to rotate orcounter-rotate sprocket 75 and effect tuming movement of collar 61 aswell as of disc 65 secured to the lower end of collar 61.

Mounted upon the under side of disc 65 and depending therebelow areopposed pairs of latch members 89, which in the embodiment here showncomprise angle members disposed in spaced relation so as to provide anentrant area below disc 65. A pair of bars 91 are mounted on the uppersurface of beam 73 and project upwardly for alinement with the spacebetween latch members 89. For the purpose of engaging objects to behandled by the present device, beam 73 is provided at its opposite endswith suitable grab hooks 93, which may be varied to serve differingpurposes, and which are here shown in the simple form.

In the use of the device, beam 73 is elevated upwardly through theoperation of hydraulic assembly 47, raising beam 73 closely intoadjacency with disc 65, and with the latch members 89 on disc 65 beingalined with the bars 91 on beam 73, the beam is locked to the rotationalassembly. When so elevated and locked into position the device may beprepared for movement to and from the use area. Preferably the entireboom structure and the means supported thereby will be elevated abovethe level of the materials to be encountered as by the elevation ofcarriage 17 through the operation of the lift structure of theindustrial truck 11 upon which the device is mounted. When the devicehas been moved approximately to the location of use desired the boom maybe raised or lowered through the operation of carriage 17 to establish ahorizontal position of the boom with vertical relationship to thearticles to be handled.

Thereafter the boom may be swung from side to side through the operationof hydraulic assembly 33 engaging rack 31 with pinion 29, and effectingswinging movement to a desired extent of the assembly. When thuspositioned hydraulic assembly 49 may be activated to extend chain 55 soas to pass beyond roller 57 and permit the movement of beam 73downwardly away from latching engagement with latch members 89.

When so lowered and released, beam 73 may be manually manipulated intosuch position as may be desired in order to engage an article to behandled by the device, and the grab hooks 93 are engaged with such anarticle and the beam 73 is ready to return upwardly to the device. Whenreturned upwardly the beam is alined so that bars 91 enter between latchmembers 89.

With the beam lock-ed in position against undesired rotation the devicemay be moved from place to place and controlled rotation of the beam andof the material handled thereby may be accomplished to provide a properpositional disposition thereof, and the elevation of the device may becontrolled through the elevation of the carriage 17. Thus an object tobe handled may be selected from a supply, engaged by the grab hooks andelevated with the beam into locked position through the retraction ofchain 55.

The truck 11 may be driven to a new location and the boom may be swungconveniently to a position in which the material is to be deposited,rotation of the beam being effected through the operation of hydraulicassembly 81, moving chain 77 and manipulating sprocket 75 so as to alinethe material being handled to its desired position. Thereafter it may belowered into position through the reverse operation of chain 55 and thegrab hooks may be released when the object being handled has beenpositioned.

I claim:

1. In material handling means, an industrial truck having a source ofhydraulic pressure and lift means, a carriage mounted on said truck liftmeans for vertical reciprocation therewith, a vertically disposedrotatable shaft seated at its lower end on and carried by said carriage,an elongated horizontal boom fixed to said shaft adjacent the upper endof the shaft, said boom extending radially away from said shaft andbeing swung selectively from side to side upon rotation of said shaft,means for effecting shaft rotation comprising a pinion on said shaft, ahorizontal rack engaging said pinion, hydraulic means connected withsaid pressure source for reciprocating said rack, a turnable collarextending downwardly through the distal end of said boom, a disc fixedto the lower end of said collar and turnable therewith, means forturning said collar and disc comprising a sprocket fixed on said collar,a hydraulically operated chain trained about said sprocket, hydraulicmeans coupled to said chain and connected to said pressure sourcesupported by said boom for operating said chain to effect sprocketrotation, latching members comprising spaced angle members dependingfrom the underside of said disc, a material engaging beam supportedbelow said disc for vertical shift toward and away from said disc, saidbeam on its upper side including a bar entered between said latchmembers to lock said beam against rotation independent of said disc whensaid beam is vertically shifted upwardly, means for raising and loweringsaid beam comprising a hydraulic assembly connected to said pressuresource and mounted on said boom, a tension member coupled to the lattersaid assembly extending downwardly through said collar and disc, andswivel means connecting said tension member to said beam for beamrotation when said beam is freed from locking with said latch membersupon lowering away from said disc.

2. In material handling means, an industrial truck having a source ofhydraulic pressure and lift means, a carriage mounted on said truck liftmeans for vertical reciprocation therewith, a vertically disposedrotatable shaft seated at its lower end on and carried by said carriage,an elongated horizontal boom fixed to said shaft adjacent the upper endof the shaft, said boom extending radially away from said shaft andbeing swung selectively from side to side upon rotation of said shaft,means for effecting shaft rotation, a turnable collar extendingdownwardly through the distal end of said boom, a disc fixed to thelower end of said collar and turnable therewith, means for turning saidcollar and disc comprising a sprocket fixed on said collar, ahydraulically operated chain trained about said sprocket, hydraulicmeans coupled to said chain and connected to said pressure sourcesupported by said boom for operating said chain to effect sprocketrotation, latching members comprising spaced angle members dependingfrom the underside of said disc, a material engaging beam supportedbelow said disc for vertical shift toward and away from said disc, saidbeam on its upper side including a bar engageable with said latchmembers to lock said beam against rotation independent of said disc whensaid beam is vertically shifted upwardly, means for raising and loweringsaid beam comprising a hydraulic assembly connected to said pressuresource and mounted on said boom, a tension member coupled to the lattersaid assembly extending downwardly through said collar and disc, andswivel means connecting said tension mem ber to said beam for beamrotation when said beam is freed from locking with said latch membersupon lowering away from said disc.

3. In material handling means, an industrial truck having a source ofhydraulic pressure and lift means, a carriage mounted on said truck liftmeans for vertical reciprocation therewith, a vertically disposedrotatable shaft seated at its lower end on and carried by said carriage,an elongated horizontal boom fixed to said shaft adjacent the upper endof the shaft, said boom extending radially away from said shaft andbeing swung selectively from side to side upon rotation of said shaft,means for effecting shaft rotation, a turnable collar extendingdownwardly through the distal end of said boom, a disc fixed to thelower end of said collar and turnable therewith, means for turning saidcollar and disc, latching members comprising spaced angle membersdepending from the underside of said disc, a material engaging beamsupported below said disc for vertical shift toward and away from saiddisc, said beam on its upper side including a bar entered between saidlatch members to lock said beam against rotation independent of saiddisc when said beam is vertically shifted upwardly, means for raisingand lowering said beam comprising a hydraulic assembly connected to saidpressure source and mounted on said boom, a tension member coupled tothe latter said assembly extending downwardly through said collar anddisc, and swivel means connecting said tension member to said beam forbeam rotation when said beam is freed from locking with said latchmembers upon lowering away from said disc.

4. In material handling means, an industrial truck having a source ofhydraulic pressure and lift means, a carriage mounted on said truck liftmeans for vertical reciprocation therewith, .a vertically disposedrotatable shaft seated at its lower end on and carried by said carriage,an elongated horizontal boom fixed to said shaft adjacent the upper endof the shaft, said boom extending radially away from said shaft andbeing swung selectively from side to side upon rotation of said shaft,means for effecting shaft rotation, a turnable collar extendingdownwardly through the distal end of said boom, a disc fixed to thelower end of said collar and turnable therewith, means for turning saidcollar and disc, latching members comprising spaced angle membersdepending from the underside of said disc, a material engaging beamsupported below said disc for vertical shift toward and away from saiddisc, said beam on its upper side including a bar engageable with saidlatch members to lock said beam against rotation independent of saiddisc when said beam is vertically shifted upwardly, means for raisingand lowering said beam mounted on said boom, a tension member coupled tothe latter said means extending downwardly through said collar and disc,and swivel means connecting said tension member to said beam for beamrotation when said beam is freed from locking with said latch membersupon lowering away from said disc.

5. In material handling means, an industrial truck having a source ofhydraulic pressure and lift means, a carriage mounted on said truck liftmeans for vertical reciprocation therewith, a vertically disposedrotatable shaft seated at its lower end on and carried by said carriage,an elongated horizontal boom fixed to said shaft adjacent the upper endof the shaft, said boom extending radially away from said shaft andbeing swung selectively from side to side upon rotation of said shaft,means for effecting shaft rotation comprising a pinion on said shaft, ahorizontal rack engaging said pinion, hydraulic means connected withsaid pressure source for reciprocating said rack, a turnable collarextending downwardly through the distal end of said boom, a disc fixedto the lower end of said collar and turnable therewith, means forturning said collar and disc comprising a sprocket fixed on said collar,a hydraulically operated chain trained about said sprocket, hydraulicmeans coupled to said chain and connected to said pressure sourcesupported by said boom for operating said chain to effect sprocketrotation, latch means connected to said disc, a material engaging beamsupported below said disc for vertical shift toward and away from saiddisc, beam carried means engaged with said latch means to releasablylock said beam and disc against relative rotation, means for raising andlowering said beam comprising a hydraulic assembly connected to saidpressure source and mounted on said boom, a tension member coupled tothe latter said assembly extending downwardly through said collar anddisc, and swivel means connecting said tension member to said beam forbeam rotation upon lowering away from said disc.

6. In material handling means, an industrial truck having lift means, acarriage mounted on said truck lift means for vertical reciprocationtherewith, a vertically disposed rotatable shaft seated at its lower endon and carried by said carriage, an elongated horizontal boom fixed tosaid shaft adjacent the upper end of the shaft, said boom extendingradially away from said shaft and being swung selectively from side toside upon rotation of said shaft, means for effecting shaft rotation, aturnable collar extending downwardly through the distal end of saidboom, a disc fixed to the lower end of said collar and turnabletherewith, latch means connected to said disc, means for turning saidcollar and disc, a material supporting beam supported below said discfor vertical shift toward and away from said disc, beam carried meansreleasably engaging said latch means for locking said beam and discagainst relative rotation, means for raising and lowering said beammounted on said boom, a tension member coupled to the latter said meansextending downwardly through said collar and disc, and swivel meansconnecting said tension member to said beam for beam rotation when saidbeam is lowered away from said disc.

7. In material handling means, an industrial truck having a source ofhydraulic pressure and lift means, a carriage mounted on said truck liftmeans for vertical reciprocation therewith, an elongated horizontal boomconnected to said carriage, said boom extending radially away from saidcarriage and being swung selectively from side to side, means foreffecting swing of said boom, a turnable collar extending downwardlythrough the distal end of said boom, a disc fixed to the lower end ofsaid collar and turnable therewith, means for turning said collar anddisc, latching members comprising spaced angle members depending fromthe underside of said disc, a material engaging beam supported belowsaid disc for vertical shift toward and away from said disc, said beamon its upper side including a bar entered between said latch members tolock said beam against rotation independent of said disc when said beamis vertically shifted upwardly and for rotation with said disc underoperation of said turning means, means for raising and lowering saidbeam mounted on said boom.

8. In material handling means, an industrial truck having a source ofhydraulic pressure and lift means, a carriage mounted on said truck liftmeans for vertical reciprocation therewith, a vertically disposedrotatable shaft seated .at its lower end on and carried by saidcarriage, an elongated substantially horizontal boom fixed to said shaftadjacent the upper end of the shaft, said boom extending away from saidshaft and being swung selectively from side to side upon rotation ofsaid shaft, means for effecting shaft rotation, a turnable collarextending downwardly through the distal end of said boom, a disc fixedto the lower end of said collar and turnable therewith, means forturning said collar and disc, latching members comprising spaced anglemembers depending from the underside of said disc, a material engagingbeam supported below said disc for vertical shift toward and away fromsaid disc, said beam on its upper side including a bar entered betweensaid latch members to lock said beam against rotation independent ofsaid disc when said beam is vertically shifted upwardly and for rotationwith said disc under operation of said turning means, means for raisingand lowering said beam mounted on said boom.

9. In material handling means, an industrial truck having a source ofhydraulic pressure and lift means, a carriage mounted on said truck liftmeans for vertical reciprocation therewith, a vertically disposedrotatable shaft seated at its lower end on and carried by said carriage,an elongated substantially horizontal boom fixed to said shaft adjacentthe upper end of the shaft, said boom extending away from said shaft andbeing swung selectively from side to side upon rotation of said shaft,means for effecting shaft rotation, at turnable collar extendingdownwardly through the distal end of said boom, a disc fixed to thelower end of said collar and turnable therewith, means for turning saidcollar and disc, latch means connected to said disc, a materialsupporting beam supported below said disc for vertical shift toward andaway from said disc, said beam including means releasably engaging saidlatch means to lock said beam against rotation independent of said discwhen said beam is vertically shifted upwardly and for rotation with saiddisc under operation of said turning means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 796,842 8/05Hoffman et a1. 214658 1,855,862 4/32 McCann et al. 2l4652 2,486,47911/49 Kennedy 212-42 2,699,879 1/59 Bertram 214-653 2,760,661 8/56 Wight214-620 2,812,070 11/57 Delzer 214--658 X 2,828,880 4/58 Perry 214-653 X2,990,074 6/61 Berquist et al 214620 3,045,852 7/62 Boyd 214653 FOREIGNPATENTS 714,071 8/54 Great Britain.

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

MORRIS TEMIN, Examiner.

9. IN MATERIAL HANDLING MEANS, AN INDUSTRIAL TRUCK HAVINGA OSURCE OFHYDRAULIC PRESSURE AND LIFT MEANS, A CARRIAGE MOUNTED ON SAID TRUCK LIFTMEANS FOR VERTICAL RECIPROCATION THEREWITH, A VERTICALLY DISPOSEDROTATABLE SHAFT SEATED AT ITS LOWER END ON AND CARRIED BY SAID CARRIAGE,AN ELONGATED SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL BOOM FIXED TO SAID SHAFT ADJACENTTHE UPPER END OF THE SHAFT, SAID BOOM EXTENDING AWAY FROM SASID SHAFTAND BEING SWUNG SELECTIVELY FROM SIDE TO SIDE UPON ROTATION OF SAIDSHAFT, MEANS FOR EFFECTING SHAFT ROTATION, A TURNABLE COLLAR EXTENDINGDOWNARDLY THROUGH THE DISTAL END OF SAID BOOM, A DISC FIXED TO THE LOWEREND OF SAID COLLAR AND TURNABLE THEREWWITH, MENAS FOR TURNING SAIDCOLLAR AND DISC, LATCH MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID DISC, A MATERIALSUPPORTING BEAM SUPPORTED BELOW SAID DISC FOR VERTICAL SHIFT TOWARD ANDAWAY FROM SAID DISC, SAID BEAM INCLUDING MEANS RELEASABLY ENGAGING SAIDLATCH MEANS TO LOCK SAID BEAM AGAINST ROTATION INDEPENDENT OF SAID DISCWHEN SAID BEAM IS VERTICALLY SHIFTED UPWARDLY AND FOR ROTATION WITH SAIDDISC UNDER OPERATION OF SAID TURNING MEANS.